Officials said as little as 1 inch of water inside a structure can cost almost $8,000 worth of damage.

Wind, rain, hail, wind-driven rain and lightning damage are typically covered by most homeowner's policies. Wind-driven rain means the policy only covers water damage that results from rain entering into a wind-damaged area -- which doesn't include flooding.

Many victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Hurricane Rita thought their insurance covered flooding, but the problem was the flooding was a result of water rushing into homes that were not wind-damaged.Homeowners should document damage by having a camera ready and make an inventory of everything affected by the storm.

It might be necessary to live with some damage for a period of time to allow for an insurance adjuster to see the home in the condition the storm left it.

Hurricane shutters are a strong defense against hurricane-force winds.

Check with an insurance company to determine whether they could lower premiums.